Self-care secrets to help you really relax for once

Everyone agrees that a little self-care can work wonders, but with busy schedules and pressures at home and at work, it can be hard to hit pause. Netflix ran a study and found that many moms get "me-time" while multitasking; 57% while doing loads of laundry and 48% while cooking a meal. And while self-care can mean different things to different people, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy from Joyous Health has a few suggestions that may just become your new "me-time". Here are some of her favourite ways to fit a little self-care into each day.

Dry skin brushing

Dry skin brushing is an incredibly invigorating way to detox your body and make your skin glow. Try this self-care ritual first thing in the morning and repeat every day for 30 days for optimal results.

What you'll need:

• A natural (non-synthetic) bristle brush with a long handle to reach all areas of your body

Directions:

1. Stand in the shower or bath, anywhere that works to catch the falling skin while you're nude.

2. Brush your body from your feet up, and always brush towards your heart.

3. Brush each area of your body at least twice in a big sweeping motion. Lighten the pressure in more sensitive areas.

4. Shower!

5. Pat your skin dry. Wash your brush with soap and water and let dry after each use.

Rejuvenation bath

Take a bath with your favourite essential oils two to three times per week. Add in some Dead Sea salts or Epsom salts along with some oils that are tailored to what you need right now. For example, if you need to relax, lavender is an amazing stress buster. Eucalyptus is invigorating and detoxifying for the lungs. Magnesium, found in Epsom salts and Dead Sea salts, is required for over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It gets absorbed through your skin during your bath and will act as potent de-stress mineral. Try this on the weekends so you have lots of time for a stress-free soak.

Detox blender soup

Once a month, give your body a detox with this easy and super healthy blender soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted sweet potato
• ½ cup fresh parsley or basil, loosely packed
• 2 cups kale, washed and torn from stems, loosely packed
• 3 cups spinach, loosely packed
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 3-4 green onions
• 3 cups hot veggie or chicken stock
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp paprika
• Hemp hearts to garnish

Preparation:

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds.

2. Heat it up over the stovetop, and enjoy!

DIY face mask

A DIY face mask can be a great late-night way to treat yourself and your skin. The key to success is consistency. Cacao's antioxidants boost collagen protection, while honey helps to preserve natural oils in the skin. Avocado prevents and helps eliminate wrinkles and the D-manno-heptulose sugar contained in avocados boosts collagen formation. Cinnamon rounds out the benefits of this mask – it's a superfood but most of all it is a super gentle defoliator in this mask. Here's how to make it.

What you'll need:

• 1 mashed avocado
• 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons of raw honey
• 1 tablespoons of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients up.

2. Gently massage the mixture onto your face and leave it on for about 25 minutes.

3. Rinse the mask off with warm water. Do this 2-3 times per week.

Resource guide

Featured home and care products provided by HomeSense